Tips & Tricks

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Hoop Embroidery in a (Quick) Snap!

Friday, June 25th, 2010

I love having gadgets and gizmos to make my embroidery world easier. It is so nice to take advantage of great innovations to aid with hooping and speed up the process, especially when I am working on a project for profit. So many times I find my self taking these aids for granted.

Not long ago I had a request to embroider some bags and had assured the client that bags would be no problem at all. Once the bags had been delivered, I realized that the style of the bag was awkward and was not going to be cooperative. After a time of trial, error, pondering, and some head scratching, I pulled out the Quick Snap Hoops that are made for my Brother 6 needle machine. This system allowed me to effectively embroider an area of the bag that would not otherwise have been possible with conventional hoops. The bags were returned to a very happy customer, who was none the wiser to how their complicated job turned into an easy one.

The Quick Snap Hooping System works very effectively on a multitude of different types of projects. There are 7 different frames so I have been able to find just the right size or shape for so many different items. The clear windows (at least 2 for each frame) are designed to anchor the item to the frame, but I find that they make alignment and getting things straight an easy task.

I often get questions about the Quick Snaps so I thought that I would share some “need to know” info with you:

  • It is easiest to put the Quick Snap hoop that you intend on using onto the machine before the item to be embroidered is placed on the frame.
  • Before the item is on the frame, make sure that the design is located where you want it. With the frame on and empty, it is easy to see the machine’s needle location in the frame opening.
  • When the Quick Snap attaching bracket is on the PR650 (or previous models) the machine will think that the large frame is on.
  • You need to place the design so it will stitch inside of the Quick Snap frame. Warning: The Machine will not recognize your Quick Snaps.
  • Make sure to do a trace to confirm that the placement of the design is correct.
  • The flat magnet strips can be used to hold the stabilizer in place while you put the article on the hoop.
  • Use the Quick Snap Arm Extension to help aid in the support of these robust frames and the items you are embroidering.

If you want more information on what comes with the Quick Snap System, check out the video below to see how it works:

If you have Quick Snaps, I am sure that you love them as much as I do. I cannot even begin to think about all of the business projects that have become easier for me to do and how much my production time has sped up.

If you don’t have the Quick Snap Hooping System or the Quick Snap Arm Extension, they can be found at all Quality Sewing stores—Don’t forget to use your Sew Fun discount!

-Reva Flood


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10 Sewing Tips & Tricks from Baby Lock

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Check out these fun tips that I just came across:

Sewing Tips & Tricks - Get organized, get thrifty and get inspired today with these sewing tips for 2010 from Baby Lock:

  1. When sewing a garment that require buttons, take one of the extra buttons and sew it to the inside of the garment. If one of the buttons comes off that garment, you won’t waste time looking for a replacement button.
  2. Organize your stash by color – whether it’s thread, fabric, trim or buttons – to save time looking for these items later.
  3. Stop looking for extra sewing projects to make – check out the Free projects on the Baby Lock and Designer’s Gallery sites.
  4. When cutting your fabric, use washers, canned goods or fabric weights instead of pinning your fabric – this really saves a lot of time!
  5. Prevent wear and tear on your machine (and your arms!) by taking a smaller travel size machine to sewing classes. The Sofia is a lightweight options for a sewing and embroidery travel buddy.
  6. Sometimes it’s more fun to skip the shopping and cutting and jump straight to the creating. Eliminate the time used to select and cut fabric by purchasing pre-cut fabric kits.
  7. When embroidering, use a smaller embroidery hoop for your designs. This helps prevent using / wasting more stabilizer than needed.
  8. Black out curtains: Instead of using curtain liners, use black out curtains as part of your home décor. These curtains not only prevent the sun from fading your furniture, fabrics or threads, they also help cool down your room by blocking out the sun.
  9. Regardless of how much we paid for our sewing machines, they are a very important piece of machinery to us. So why not protect them? Plug your sewing machines in a surge protector to prevent a power surge.
  10. Before starting a new sewing project, make sure you purchase all the supplies first. It can be very frustrating trying to start a project only to realize that you don’t have everything you need. Do you really want to make another trip back to the store?

- Carmen


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Sewing & Stitchery Expo Preparation Guide

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Can you believe it? The Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup is just around the corner. That means it’s time to start training. You might laugh, but I am completely serious! There is so much to see and do that it is a very good idea to have a “game plan” in place prior to arrival.

First: Prepare yourself. The Sewing and Stitchery Expo is very large and there are distances to cover. It’s all concrete and pavement which is hard on the feet. Weather is typically fickle in February so it’s smart to dress accordingly. You are not allowed to use suitcases or rolling carts in the buildings (one look and you’ll see why) BUT there is a Package Check on the Fairgrounds. Park your cart/suitcase there and use it to store your goodies.

Second: Plan your visit carefully. You will need time to eat and rest as well as learn. There are so many seminars and so little time. My first visit to Expo was a complete blur. I signed up for tons of seminars without thinking about pacing myself or even allowing time to eat. You may not eat or drink in the seminar/classrooms. Plan accordingly. Give your brain and body a rest occasionally. Schedule time for snacks and meals to avoid a “crash”.

Third: Know the Fairgrounds. Page 35 of the brochure has a map of the Expo, including restrooms, food and classrooms. Just as important, the map shows where the Package Check is located. Please use the Package Check! The more purchases you are juggling, the more likely it is that you will lose one of them. When planning your day, bear in mind what is taking place in the various buildings. You will be much happier if you are not running back and forth all day.

Can’t wait to have you all join us in Puyallup for this amazing event. If you’d like to share your Expo plans or ask questions there is a great Puyallup Sew Expo group on Yahoo. You can find out more here . Also, The Sewing and Stitchery Expo has a blog. Rita Farro is the blog “hostess”. I guarantee you will be entertained.

See you in Puyallup!

–Katrina


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How To Pre-Shrink Wool Crepe

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Don’t ever underestimate the ability of a crepe fabric to shrink.

I should say – a true crepe fabric, as there are fabrics which are engineered to have a crepe appearance but are not actually made from crepe yarns. A crepe yarn is one that has been spun (or overspun) to the point where the yarn wants to double up on itself. Something I created quite readily as a beginning spinner! A fabric spun with these yarns has a wonderful texture, flattering dull surface and great recovery due to the springy nature of the yarn.

Unfortunately, this is also why true crepe fabrics are prone to shrinkage. Especially in the lengthwise direction. All fabrics are woven under tension and when that tension is relaxed – particularly in the presence of moisture – those springy yarns do what comes naturally and coil back up, causing the fabric to shrink. Add in the factor a naturally felting fiber such as wool and you have a preshrinking challenge on your hands.

There are various traditional ways to preshrink wool fabrics. It used to be common to send your wools to the dry cleaner to be preshrunk but this service is not always available at modern dry cleaners. So most of us are left to preshrink for ourselves. Here’s a couple of the more common methods used:

London Shrink:

  1. Thoroughly dampen a sheet and roll wool yardage up in the sheet. (Some dampen the wool rather than the sheet.)
  2. Allow the damp wool to rest overnight or longer. The purpose of this is to use the moisture to encourage the wool to relax, and therefore shrink.
  3. Steam the wool yardage thoroughly with a steam iron, allowing each section to dry before steaming a new section.

Towel and Dryer – from Pamela Erny at “Off the Cuff”:

  1. Serge or zig-zag the raw edges of the fabric.
  2. Next, wet some clean thick towels with HOT water until they are very wet but not quite dripping.
  3. Now toss the hot wet towels and the fabric into your clothes dryer.
  4. Set the dryer on HIGH heat, and tumble the fabric and hot wet towels for 40 minutes.
  5. Take the yardage out of the dryer and lay flat until cool.

For my latest wool crepe project, I decided to stick with steaming only as my preshrinking method. I put a couple of sturdy hooks in the ceiling so I could hang my yardage up by pants hangers and use a Jiffy commerical steamer. (Steamers are great – keep your eyes open for gently used models. I found mine at a swap meet for $20!) I steamed it very thoroughly, shifting the fabric several times to ensure I had steamed every inch. The crepe was allowed to cool and dry completely. Then I placed the wool on my ironing board and steamed it again, very thoroughly. A slight thickening of the fabric did occur, but nothing that detracted from the hand or drape of the fabric.

Although I was pleased with the results of steam shrinking, I lengthened the slacks by 2 inches over what I would normally cut and I was glad that I did so, as the slacks still managed to shrink a bit more during the tailoring process, all in the lengthwise direction.

For my next wool crepe project, I think I will try letting the wool soak in a tub of warm water (not hot) without agitation (this would cause it to felt rather than simply shrink). Basically, the same process used to preshrink fusible interfacing. Allow the wool to cool, and then spin the water out and hang to dry.

What’s your favorite technique? Please share with us!

-Katrina


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10 Must-Have Sewing Tools

Friday, September 11th, 2009

My head is buzzing with plans for my Fall wardrobe from InStyle magazine (my fashion favorite) – a good fashion magazine or two is where I always start. Once I’ve identified and torn out the styles I love, I head for the pattern catalogs or my own plentiful stash to see what I can match up. My goal is to turn “high style” into “my style” and have the pleasure of creating my own unique wardrobe while playing with the gorgeous designer fabrics (straight from the Fasion District in L.A.) I’ve brought home from our stores. Once the plans are made, it’s time to gather up my BFFs – the tools I can’t sew without! So, (or is that sew?), here’s my Top Ten – in no particular order. They’re all my “must haves”!

45mm Olfa Deluxe Ergonomic Rotary Cutter. I do virtually all my cutting with a rotary cutter and usually have a couple around. One with a regular blade and one with a pinking blade. I love using the pinking edge for quick seam finishes and like having two cutters so I don’t have to keep swapping out the blades. My sewing time is too valuable to spend on blade swapping, so $21.99 each is well worth it to me. This Olfa Deluxe makes it easy to follow the golden rule of rotary cutters with the little red lock. Lock the blade every time you set it down! And the handle really is comfy enough for lots of cutting.

collings styling design ruler 2. Collins Styling Design Ruler. I discovered this ruler ever so many years ago and it has been the source of many hours of designing and pattern re-vamping pleasure. There are markings for armhole and hip curves that have been invaluable and I find it actually inspires me to think “outside of the pattern” in so many other ways, too. I can’t stand just following a pattern and must make it my own somehow. That’s the creative part! So, I find that the curves, angles and straight edges of this little dandy are just what I need. Best $16.49 I ever invested!

3. Clear Elastic. I keep 1/4″ and 1/2″ around at all times and love the versatility of this ready to wear style elastic. It comes in 4 – 5 yard packs for about $1.99, so you can’t beat the price. What do I do with it? It’s a great elastic to use on a sleeve cap or neckline that needs stabilizing (apply it with a slightly less than 1:1 ratio). It’s my favorite for gathering evenly (cut the elastic to the finished length and stretch while you sew), too. And if you make lingerie or swimwear, it finishes your leg, neck and armholes without the “bump” you get from regular nylon or cotton elastic.

4. Pattern Paper. I can’t just stick to the pattern – right?  So, pattern paper is essential! Plus, there are SO many great books out there that come with patterns for you to trace and use. The books are such a good value when you look at the price of individual patterns. I love the rolls of Bosal pattern paper we carry at Pacific Fabrics and the Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Pattern Paper is really cool, too. Find your favorite!

5. Wrist Pincushion. Lots of styles out there! I’ve used a wrist pincushion forever and my children say they remember me with one on at all times while they were growing up. I think they’re exagerating, but I do remember going up to the mailbox with my tape measure (another essential) around my neck and my pincushion on my wrist numerous times. You don’t want to stop sewing to plow through all the stuff around your machine and find the pincushion. Problem solved – easily!

dritz extra fine white glass pins6. Dritz Extra Fine White Glass Head Pins. Pins that stay in the fabric!!! Pins that I can see on the floor before I step on them in my bare feet! Lots of them! There are other colors, but somehow the white looks professional to me and I love that feel in my sewing studio. A bargain at $7.49 for 250!

7. Sharp Seam Ripper. As ye sew, so shall ye rip. ‘Nough said!

8. Thread Snips. Right by the machine or around your neck on a ribbon at ALL times! I love the ones made by Gingher, but there are lots of brands to choose from. Just make sure you have some. Scissors don’t count!

9. 8″ Shears. Not for thread snipping (see above), but this is what I use for trimming seam allowances, cutting off excess length and re-shaping as I go. The rotary cutter is great for the initial cutting, but I couldn’t live without my shears. Gingher in my case, again, but I know lots of Mundial and Fiskar fans, too. There’s a shear match made in heaven waiting for you, I’m sure.

clover marking set 10. Clover Chacopel Fine Marking Pencil Set. Oh, how I love these! You get four colors on three pencils and one end to brush away the marks, plus a pencil sharpener for just $6.99. Great colors for any fabric and the sharpener means you can work with a nice fine point for accuracy. I really love these because my hand is very comfortable with holding a pencil shaped tool rahter than some of the other oddly shaped marking tools I’ve tried. Again – it’s all about efficiency for me!

Okay, fashion sewists – ready, set, stitch! Get your “must” haves together and sew, Sew, SEW!!! Oh! And if you have a favorite on your Top Ten that isn’t on mine, leave a comment. I’m always looking for more BFFs for my studio!

~ Annette


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Fairs: Tips for Entering Your Sewing Projects

Monday, August 17th, 2009

Every year I enjoy looking at the many different kinds of entries that are on display at The Puyallup Fair. It’s wonderful that we have such an amazing artistic heritage here in the Pacific Northwest. Have you ever considered entering your handiwork in the Fair? It’s fun and easy and you can even win cash prizes! Not to mention the feeling of pride and accomplishment when you see your entry (and show your family and friends) on display for the public.

Why enter? There are many good reasons but here are two:  First of all, it’s a great way to showcase your work for all to see your hard work and talent.  Secondly, it’s a wonderful opportunity to have your work critiqued by a judge.  Fair judges work hard not only to determine ribbon placings, but also to give helpful feedback on areas of improvement and suggestions for fixing tricky problem areas.

Tips for entering your work in The Puyallup Fair (or any fair):

  1. Read the premium book. (They are available online; click here to view) This is where the rules are listed; read carefully. Make note of entry dates, times and also pickup times/dates.
  2. Check your work over carefully, as if you are the judge. Is it clean? Are there areas needing repairs? Look for unclipped threads, soiled areas and possible wear stress. Obviously soiled items or items in poor condition will generally be disqualified.
  3. Presentation is important. Make sure everything is properly pressed, blocked or polished – whatever prep work is appropriate to make your work look its best. The premium book may have special instructions for preparing your item for display. Make sure to follow the guidelines listed.
  4. Bring your items in on time and pick them up promptly on the designated dates/time.

Here are links to the Open Class premium books for some of our upcoming western Washington fairs:

Pierce County Fair, Graham, WA
(Home Ec information begins on page 9)

Skagit County Fair, Mount Vernon, WA
(Warning: large file)

Southwest Washington Fair (Lewis County), Chehalis, WA

Kitsap County Fair, Bremerton, WA

Evergreen State Fair (Snohomish County), Monroe, WA

The Puyallup Fair, Puyallup, WA

I look forward to seeing your items on display!

–Katrina


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How To: Make the Most of Your Sewing Machine

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

A sewing machine can be your best friend (right up there with diamonds), so here’s some quick tips to ensure a long and loving relationship.

  1. Get to know each other. I’m convinced that each sewing machine has its own personality and sewing style. Whether it adapts to you or you adapt to it, like every relationship it will take some time and energy. Quality Sewing offers free machine usage classes so that you can become better acquainted and learn some of the amazing things your machine can do.
  2. Expand your horizons. Experiment with all those funky looking feet in your accessory case. Better yet, take some classes. Whether it’s a monthly club or something special, learning in a class environment can introduce some new techniques and tools that you never would have thought of using otherwise. And it’s a lot of fun!
  3. Keep it clean. Sewing machines, like cars, just seem to run better when they’re clean. Lint bunnies nesting in your bobbin area can wreak havoc with your bobbin tension. So can lint in your upper tension disks. Needless to say food, dirt and other substances aren’t good for your machine, either.
  4. Work together. Bad habits can create repair bills and frustration. Work with your feed dogs – avoid forcing fabric through. Pull your pins – sewing into a pin can not only cause damage to you from flying bits of metal, it can also throw your machine out of balance. Learn how to troubleshoot and diagnose when something isn’t working properly.
  5. Stay in tune. All machinery requires maintenance to work well. Your sewing machine is no exception. When was the last time your machine was tuned up? If you can’t remember, it might be time for a checkup. Quality Sewing has a full time service staff that can tune or repair nearly all models of sewing machines.

Have a great time with your new (or old) best friend! Here’s to a long and happy relationship.

–Katrina


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Create a New Look With Simply Beautiful Seams

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

I love to use a variety of seams. Not only for adapting to a particular construction challenge, but especially for decorative purposes. When you have a pattern style that is flattering and you’ve perfected the fit, it’s nice to be able to create multiple versions without simply duplicating your work. Using decorative seams can give a whole new look to a project.

One of my favorites for visual impact and ease of sewing is the bundled fagotted seam. A traditional fagotted seam has threads bridging a gap between two fabric pieces. In the bundled fagotted seam, the threads are stitched down the middle with a triple straight stitch, creating a look of little tied ‘bundles’.

The secret star of this technique is: the fringe foot! We’re all familiar with using the fringe foot for fun textural effects. But it also makes sewing a perfectly spaced fagotted seam a piece of cake.

Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1:
Using the fringe foot and decreased needle tension, stitch at least a 5/8” seam, right sides together, using a zig-zag that just clears the fringe bar.

Step 2:
Pull seam gently apart and press the seam allowances away from the seam on the wrong side.

Step 3:
Use the triple straight stitch (regular tension) to sew up the center of the fagoted seam, pulling fabric taut to the sides to keep seam open as much as possible.

Step 4:
Use decorative stitches (Angie Spong 9mm stitch shown here – available at this month’s Sew Fun presentation) up the sides of the seam to hold seam allowances to the side and give additional decoration.

That’s it! If you’d like to see more of this fun technique, come to a Sew Fun club presentation. You’ll be amazed at the many ways you can add a little more oomph! to your next project.

–Katrina


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Project Preparation Tips for Streamlining Your Sewing

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Photo: The back pieces of a vest lining pinned together for quicker assembly.

I do not sew quickly. Sometimes it’s one of my greatest frustrations. Part of the problem is my penchant for experimentation and challenging projects. I just can’t resist trying out new tools and techniques – after all,that is how we learn. While it definitely broadens my sewing horizons, it also leads to a lot of ‘backwards sewing’!

The other factor is a lack of organization. I am easily distracted, and when I have several deadlines (and their related projects) stacked up at once, it’s difficult to avoid total chaos.

That’s when I turn to the experts. I am very grateful to Pati Palmer, Marta Alto, Nancy Zieman, Sandra Betzina, Claire Schaeffer and the rest of my reference book and dvd collection authors for their invaluable advice and suggestions.

So, as I scramble to churn out my projects, I thought I’d share some tips for getting the most out of your sewing time.

Step 1:
Do one task at a time for multiple projects. For example, rather than cutting out one project at a time, cut out several. Or fit several patterns. It’s easier to stay focused if you are doing the same task. Plus, if your studio/work area tends to become an unnatural disaster when you work (guilty!) you will be more likely to use your space more efficiently. Cutting out or altering patterns takes dedicated table space – quite a bit of it. So while you have it cleared off for one project, you might as well keep going.

Step 2:
After you cut your garment pieces, pin them together. This helps prevent the dreaded ‘two left sleeves’ scenario. When possible, pin them in their construction order, as in the photo above. This vest back is ready to be taken to the sewing machine and sewn, without having to get up or down to pick up pieces or guess “now is this for the left or right back?” I don’t normally use pins when sewing, but you get the idea!

Step 3:
Consolidate your sewing and pressing. Sew as many seams as you can, then go and press them all rather than sewing and pressing each individually. Again, projects may vary but often this is possible. There is no reason I shouldn’t be able to do that with my vest project shown above.

Step 4:
You don’t always have to use different colored thread for every project. Seriously. If you are sewing for a competition, that may be a different story. But otherwise, no one should ever see your basic construction threads unless your seams are too loose or are straining. If you’re sewing a lined, interfaced bag or garment, as long as the thread color doesn’t show through to the front, you’re fine. Similarly, when serging, only the needle thread is likely to show, if at all. The looper colors aren’t as crucial.

There are many other ways to help speed up and streamline your sewing. I hope you will share some of your best tips with the rest of us! Keep sewing!

–Katrina


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How To: Simply Perfect Gathering Using Clear Elastic

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

I love the look of a lightweight fabric gathered into a shirt yoke, but I really, really dislike stitching gathering threads! Whenever I gather fabric using gathering stitches, it always seems like I either do not distribute the gathers as evenly as I’d like, or I get big tucks here and there, or – worst of all – I end up breaking one or both of the gathering threads and have to start all over again!

So, for several years, using clear elastic as a gathering tool has been one of my favorite tricks. I don’t recall where I first learned it – it may have been an article in Threads, in a book, or a video – I’ve seen it mentioned in many sources. But it’s a great time saver and will give you beautiful results every time with very little effort.

Vogue 1620 is one of my favorite blouse patterns, which is unfortunately out of print. I’ve had it for years. I especially like this pattern because it makes good use of those ‘bits and pieces’ of beautiful fabrics that I have in my ‘personal resource center’ (aka stash). The most challenging part of this pattern is that it incorporates a lot of gathering – there is no sleeve cap; rather the upper back and sleeve are all gathered into a shoulder yoke, and the bottom of the sleeve and upper back are gathered into a semi-fitted bodice around the waist and hips. The sleeve bottoms are also gathered into the cuffs.

Step 1:
Luckily, this is easily accomplished with the use of clear elastic. Clear elastic is extremely stretchable. So much so, that it is important to pre-stretch the clear elastic, similar to stretching a balloon prior to inflating it. Give it a good stretching, stretching by section if you need to. You will want to stretch a slightly longer section than the desired finished length of the gathered section. I prefer to gather my fabric onto the elastic slightly shorter than the desired length. This is because it’s very easy for me to simply stretch the gathered fabric/elastic a bit when applying to my yoke, than trying to cram in a little extra if I don’t gather it enough. So I will cut my clear elastic a little bit shorter (up to 1/2″) than my desired finished length. I also use about 1/4″ on each end for a tab to hang onto. So in effect I’m reducing the length of my clear elastic up to 1″ from the actual desired length of gathered material.

Step 2:
Now I will fold the fabric to be gathered to determine where the quarter – distance marks are. I insert pins into the seam allowance to mark these distances. I will do the same to my clear elastic, and simply match up the pins together. This is the same type of ‘quartering’ you do when you apply a knit collar or cuffs to a t-shirt or similar knit project. If you are gathering quite a distance, you may need to divide the distance into 1/8 sections.

Step 3:
Next, sew the elastic onto the seam allowance. I use a standard straight stitch, grasping that little tab and the edge of my fabric to start and the first quarter pin or similar, stretching the elastic so that it is lying flat and even with the seam allowance. You will want to use ‘taut’ sewing – keeping the material taut both in front of and behind the presser foot while hanging on to the elastic. (I can’t show this while holding a camera!) I usually stitch just inside the 5/8″ seam allowance so that the elastic will be only within the seam allowance. This makes it easier to remove if you don’t want the elastic to remain in the seam allowance. Stop when necessary with the needle down to hold your place and restretch the elastic to fit the fabric sections.

Step 5:
When you are finished stitching – it’s like magic – your fabric section is exactly the size you want it to be (or easily adjusted to that size), and the gathers are perfectly evenly spaced and of an even depth. Keep the elastic in place as you sew your gathered section to your yoke or similar.

I generally remove the elastic after my gathered sections are stitched in place. Many times you can gently tear the elastic from either side of the stitching once the gathered section is sewn in place so that the elastic does not remain in the seam allowance. If your fabric doesn’t tolerate tugging (as this silk chiffon definitely doesn’t), it’s fairly easy to simply remove the stitches from the elastic.

Happy Sewing! I hope you enjoy this time and frustration saving technique as much as I do.

–Katrina


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